Railway signaling



April 28, 1931. c. w. BELL.

RAILWAY SIGNALING Filed April 22, 1929 INVENTOR: 6..Pl e//,

LZ-V M -S trictive indication has failed.

' tion lamp Y and a stop lamp R Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE GHABI-Es w, BELL, or WILKINSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, n'ss'reivon 'ro rnn UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL ooivrraw, or SWISSVALE, P N V A OR O N Q E PENNSYLVANIA Application filed April 22,

. vision of novel and improved means for controlling a light signal in such manner that a positive more restrictive indication is given when a less restrictive indication should be given and the lamp for giving such less re- Another feature of my invention is the utilization of the light-out relays commonly employed in connection with light signals for giving an indication at the point of control to show whether or not the signal has responded to a movement of the controlling lever. V

I will describe one form of signaling apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of signaling apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character S designates a light signal com- .rising two groups of electric lamps E and D The first group E consists of a proceed lamp G a caution lamp Y and astop lamp R The second group F comprises a can- The signal also includes an auxiliary stop lamp R, which lamp, however, does not enter into the presentinvention.

' The lamps of the first group E are controlledby a home relay H and a distant relay-D, whereas the lamps of the second group F are controlled bya home relay H The relays H and H' are in turn controlled by manually operable levers L and L which levers are usually incorporated in an interlocking machine. 7

Associated with the proceed lamp G is a lightsout relay X 1 A similar relay X is associated with the caution lamp Y and another similar relay X is associated with the caution lamp. Y

Each lever L has a normal position,-and is movable to either the left or the rightfrom such normal position. The apparatus which is controlled by these levers when they are;

RAILWAY SIGNALING 1929. Serial No. 356,985.

moved to the right is not shown in the present application, and so for purposes of the present specification I will refer to the middle position of each lever as the normal position, and to the left-l1and position of eachflever as the reverse aosition. 7

Home relay 1 is provided with a circuit which passes from terminal B of a suitable source of current, through contact 16 of lever L and the winding of relay H to terminal 0 of the same sourceof current. Contact 16 is closed when lever L is in the reverse position, but open when the lever is in the normal position and so it follows that relay H is energized whenand only when lever L is in the reverse position.

The distant relay D is provided with a circuit which includes a front contact 1 of relay H This circuit will also include other contacts controlled in accordance with traffic conditions, which contacts are not shown in the drawing, because they form no part of my present invention.

Home relay H v is provided with a main circuit which passes from terminal B,-through Contact 17 of lever L back point of contact 4 of home relay H and the winding of relay H to terminal 0. Contact 17 is closed when and only when lever L is in the reverse position, and, consequently, it follows that lever L is in the reverse or the normal position. The relay- H is provided with an auxiliary circuit which will be explained hereinafter.

Assuming that lever L is in the normal position, and that lever L has been reversed so that relay H is energized, then if distant relay D is also energized, the proceed lamp G will be lighted, the circuit being from terminal B, through the front point of contact 2 of relay H front point of contact 18 ofrelay D, winding of light-out relay X and lamp G to terminal 0. If, however, relay D is de-energized while relay H is energized, lamp Y will be lighted, the circuit being from terminal B, through the front point of, contact 2 of relay H back point of contact terminal O.

When relayll is rte-energized, stop lamp 'R is lighted, the circuit being from terminal B, through the back point of contact 5 of relay Ht, an impedance 13, and lamp R to terminal 0. When relay 2 is energized, however, lamp Y is lighted, the circuit being from terminal B, through the front point of contact 5 of relay H winding of relay X, and lamp Y to terminal 0.

I will now assume that relays H and D are energized, that relay H is de-energized, and that lamp G which should be lighted, is burned out. Current will then flow from terminal B, through the front point of contact 2 of relay H back contact 6 of relay X winding of relay X and lamp Y to terminal 0. If, under the conditions last specified, lamp Y is also burned out, then lamp Y will become lighted. In order to accomplish this, relay H will first become energized by virtue of a circuit which passes from terminal B, through back contact 7 of relay X back contact 9 of relay X front point of contact 4 of relay and the winding of relay H t terminal 0. Relay H being energized, lamp Y will be lighted by virtue of the circuit previously traced, which circuit includes the front point of contact 5 of relay H and the winding of relay X At the same time, lamp R will be lighted by a circuit which passes from terminal B, through the front point of contact 2 of relay H back contact 6 of relay X, back contact 8 of relay X front contact 3 of relay H impedance 11, and lamp R to terminal 0.

Lever L is provided with an indication lamp A and lever L is provided with a similar indication lamp A These lamps are controlled by back contacts of the light-out relays X X and X". The circuit for lamp A is from terminal B, through back contact 7 of relay X back contact 9 of relay X back contact 16 of relay X reverse contact 14 of lever L and lamp A to terminal 0. The circuit for iamp A is the same as the circuit for lamp A except that it includes reverse contact 15 of lever L instead of reverse contact 14 of lever L When levers L and L are in their normal positions, both lamps A and A are extinguished, because their circuits are opened at lever contacts 14 and 15, respectively. WVhen lever L is reversed, lamp A will become lighted until either signal lamp Gr or Y becomes lighted, whereupon the circuit for indication lamp A will be opened at one of the light-out relay contacts 7 or 9. lVhen lever L is reversed, lamp A will become lighted until signal lamp Y becomes lighted, whereupon lamp A will be extlnguished because its circuit will be opened at back contact 10 of relay X Assuming that lever L has been reversed, and that both lamps G and Y are, burned out, and further assuming that lamp Y becomes lighted, as explained hereinbefore, lamp A will immediately become extinguished because its circuit will be opened at back contact 10 of relay X In actual practice, the circuits for relays H and H will as usual include elements whereby these circuits become opened when a train passes signal S, which elements are omitted from the drawing because they form no part of my present invention. Assuming that one of the proceed or caution lamps of signal S has been lighted, due to the reversal of one of the levers L or L then when a train passes the signal, thereby de-energizing relay H or H the indication lamp A or A will become lighted, thereby indicating that the lever is not in the position corresponding to the indication given by the signal. Restoration of the lever to its normal position, will, of course, result in the extinguishing of the associated indication lamp A. If lever L is moved to the reverse position and all three of the lamps G Y and Y fail to respond, indication lamp A will remain lighted, thereby informing the operator that the signal has not responded to the lever movement. The same thing is true of indication lamp A in the event that lamp Y fails to respond to a reversal of lever L Lamp R of signal S is continuously lighte ed, the circuit being from terminal B,- through an impedance 12, and lamp R to terminal 0. I

The purpose of the impedances 13, 11 and 12 in the circuits for the stop lamps R, is to limit the flow of current to these lamps in' the same manner that the flow of current to the lamps G and Y is limited by the associated lightout relays X X and X Although I have herein shown and described only one form of signaling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understod that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from th spirit and scope of my invention.

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Having thus described my invention, what cuit for said less restrictive lamp controlled by a reverse contact of said lever and includ-v ing the winding of a relay, means for lighting said more restrictive lamp when thereverse contacts of said lever are closed and a back contact of said relay is closed, an in dication lamp associated with said lever, and a circuit for said indication lamp including a back Contact of said relay and areverse contact of said lever.

2. In combination, a railway signal comprising a plurality of electric lamps, a manually operable lever having normal and reverse contacts, a relay associated with each lamp, a circuit for each lamp including the winding of the associated relay, means operating when the reverse contacts of said lever are closed to close one or another of said lamp circuits depending on other conditions and on the conditions of the lamps themselves, an indication lamp associated with said lever, and a circuit for said indication lamp including in series a back contact of each said relay and a reverse contact of said lever, whereby when said lever is in the reverse position said indication lamp is extinguished if any one of said signal lamps is lighted but is lighted if all of said signal lamps are extinguished.

3. In combination, a railway signal having a first group of lamps and a second group of lamps, the first group comprising a proceed and a caution as well as a stop lamp, and the second group comprising a caution lamp, a home relay and a distant relay for said first group, a home relay for said second group, a light-out relay for each of said proceed and caution lamps, a first and a second manually operable lever each having a normal and a reverse position, means for energizing the first home relay when and only when said first lever is in the reverse position, a circuit for said distant relay controlled by a front contact of said first home relay, a circuit for the proceed lamp of said first group including a front contact of said first home relay and a front contact of said distant relay as well as the associated light out relay, a main circuit for the caution lamp of the first group including a front contact of said first home relay and a back contact of said distant relay as well as the associated light-out relay, an auxiliary circuit for said caution lamp of the first group including a front Contact of the first home relay and a back contact of the light-out relay for the proceed lamp as well as the winding of the light-out relay for the caution lamp of the main group, a main circuit for said stop lamp including a back contact of said first home relay, an auxiliary circuit for said stop lamp including in series a back contact of each light-out relay for the main group of lamps and a front contact of said first home relay, a main circuit for said second home relay including a reverse contact of said second lever and a back contact of said first home relay, an auxiliary circuit for said second home relay including in series a back contact of each light-out relay for the main group of lamps, and a front contact of said first home relay, a circuit for the caution lamp of the second group including a front contact of the second home relay and the winding of the associated light-out relay, an indication lamp associated with each lever, and a circuit for each indication lampineluding in series a back contact of each lightout relay and a reverse contact of the associated lever.

4. In combination, a railway signal comprising a first group of lamps and a second group of lamps, a first home relay for controlling the lamps of said first group, a second home relay for controlling the lamps of said-second group, light-out relays associated with the lamps of said first group, a first and a secondmanually operable lever each having normal and reverse positions, means for energizing said first home relay when and only when first lever is in the reverse position, meansfor energizing said second home relay when said second lever is in the reverse position provided that said first home relay is deenergized, and auxiliary means for energizing said second home relay when said first home relay is energized and said light-out relays are (ls-energized.

5. In combination, a railway signal comprising a first group of lamps and a second group of lamps, a first home relay for controlling the lamps of said first group, a second home relay for controlling the lamps of said second group, light-out relays associated with the lam s of said first rou a first and a second manually operable lever each having normal and reverse positions, means for energizing said first home relay when and only when said first lever is in the reverse position, a main circuit for said second home relay including a reverse contact of said second lever and a back contact of said first home relay, and an auxiliary circuit for said second home relay including in series a back contact of each of said light-out relays and a front contact of said first home relay.

6. In combination, a railway signal comprising a first group of lamps and a second group of lamps, a first home relay for controlling the lamps of said first group, a second home relay for controlling the lamps of said second group, light-out relays associated with the lamps of said firstgroup, a first and a second manually operable lever each having normal and reverse positions, means for energizing said first homerelay when and only when said first lever is in the reverse position, means for energizing said second home relay when said second lever is in the reverse position provided that said first home relay is deenergized, auxiliary means for energizing said second home relay when said first home relay is energized and said light-out relays are de-energized, an indication lamp associated with each lever, and a circuit for each indication lamp including in series a back contact of each of said light-out relays and a reverse contact of the corresponding lever.

7. In coi'i'ibil'lation, a railway signal having a first and a second group of lamps, each group comprising a less restrictive and a more restrictive lamp, a first and a second home relay for said first and second groups of lamps respectively, a first and a second manually operable lever each having a normal and a reverse position, a light-out relay associated with each less restrictive lamp, means for energizing the first home relay when and only when the first lever is in the reverse position, means for energizing the second home relay when the second lever is in the reverse position provided that the first home relay is de-energized, auxiliary means for energizing the second home relay when the first home relay is energized and the light-out relay for the first group of lamps is de-en-ergized, an indication lamp associated with each of said levers, and a circuit for each indication lamp including in series a hack contact of each light-out relay and a reverse contact of the associated lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES V. BELL. 

